# Corn cob question... I think



## Uelrindru (Mar 16, 2010)

I have a Meerschuam pipe, the sticker says it's corn cob but it looks a lot like stained wood to me, anyway the shank is definately the corn cob style shank with that piece of wood protruding into the bowl. I was trying Old Dublin for the first time, which I loved but at the end it was so acrid it hurt to smoke. After cleaning it out I realized the culprit, that wood shank was charring. It absolutely overpowered the aftertaste which is usually my favorite part of the experience. 
I've read that is supposed to happen but was wondering if there was a way you could do it without wasting good tobacco in there and ruining a smoking experience?


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## GuitarDan (Nov 26, 2009)

I'm guessing you have a Missouri Meerschaum corncob pipe. If so- congrats! 
Most folks either waste the last pinch of tobacco at the bottom.

Some fellows make a mortar of cigar or pipe ashes (aka pipe mud) and make a cemented floor that's level with the top of the air hole. 
If you go this route, don't slap it all in there at once. It will take forever to dry, and will make for funky taste or even rot out the bottom of the cob. This doesn't happen 100% of the time but often enough not to do it this way!
For 100% success, use fine cigar ashes mixed with clean water until you get maybe half a thimble full of mud (similar in consistency to tomato paste) gently tamp in mud about to the thickness of a credit card. Set it in a nice sunny window for a hour. Repeat 3 times. Let the pipe sit over night.

If the new "floor" is flush with the top of the air hole you're done. Let it sit another day or two to fully dry, and ENJOY!

If it's still not high enough repeat the above schedule until...

It's a bit of putzy business, but if you enjoy smoking the concentrated dottle it's well worth it. Also, it greatly helps in the prevention of burnout and rotted cob bottoms.

Regardless- don't buy just one cob! Always get two. This lets you rest one to dry out while enjoying it's twin. One of the reasons a corncob pipe is so well loved is that it absorbs a staggering amount of moisture. You'll end up with pipes that taste better and give much longer service if you allow them to dry.

Forgive my presumptive nature; but I imagine some fellows reading this may wonder...

"Does that mean rest a day after only a single bowl smoked?" not unless it's a huge pipe and you drool horribly when clenching your pipe.
The great majority of fellows I know use the same pipe for 3-8 bowls a day quite happily.

This is just advice. I'm sure there are scads of pipemen that smoke the same pipe all day every day clenched between their molars that think this is an absurd notion. Likewise, there must be multitudes reading this with furrowed brow- horrified that a single pipe would be employed for more than one bowl per day!

Please direct all furious correspondence to my supervisor, Mr. Moo: Lieutenant Governor & Minister of Discontent.


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Could you have the Ozark?


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## Uelrindru (Mar 16, 2010)

commonsenseman said:


> Could you have the Ozark?


That is exactly it. It smokes really well for how cheap it was just the charring isn't done and ick. I'll have to see if I can hijack some cigar ash from someone and try the pipe mud, I don't smoke cigars.


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## GuitarDan (Nov 26, 2009)

oops!nevermind!


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Uelrindru said:


> That is exactly it. It smokes really well for how cheap it was just the charring isn't done and ick. I'll have to see if I can hijack some cigar ash from someone and try the pipe mud, I don't smoke cigars.


The thing I noticed about the Ozark is that they stain the outside as well as the inside of the bowl. It's taken me about ten bowls worth of Carter Hall to get rid of the terrible taste. ainkiller: In retrospect I think I should have done the Salt & Alcohol treatment to it prior to smoking.

I also noticed that the part of the shank that sticks into the bowl is about 1/2in above the bottom of the bowl. I haven't tried to fix this yet since it seems to smoke ok besides leaving a little dottle in the bottom. I've used honey mixed with ash before with some success, I think the trick is getting the ratio right, I'd guess around 2 parts ash to 1 part honey would work.

The honey taste goes away after the first couple bowls & it's not an unpleasant taste anyway.

Keep us updated on how it works out for you.


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## Jimmyc (Nov 5, 2009)

Iv'e never smoked a corn cob before and just purchased a couple Missouri Meerschaum's and noticed at the bottom of the bowl where the shank enters it looks like there is a blob of glue holding it in place. I'm wondering if this stuff is going to melt or burn off when I smoke them. I have been reluctant to smoke these pipes because of this. Does anyone know if this is normal?:help:

Also, I tried to break some of the glue/plastic fo with my pipe tool and ended up poking a hole right thru the bottom. Are the bottoms of cob pipes always this soft?


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## Roddy (Aug 25, 2009)

commonsenseman said:


> The thing I noticed about the Ozark is that they stain the outside as well as the inside of the bowl. It's taken me about ten bowls worth of Carter Hall to get rid of the terrible taste. ainkiller: In retrospect I think I should have done the Salt & Alcohol treatment to it prior to smoking.
> 
> I also noticed that the part of the shank that sticks into the bowl is about 1/2in above the bottom of the bowl. I haven't tried to fix this yet since it seems to smoke ok besides leaving a little dottle in the bottom. I've used honey mixed with ash before with some success, I think the trick is getting the ratio right, I'd guess around 2 parts ash to 1 part honey would work.
> 
> ...


I sent them an email about using stain inside their bowls. They replied that no one has ever complained before. Maybe if enough people let them know about it they would stop. If no one complains they will just keep doing it forever.

I'd rather the bowl come unstained instead of having to taste that nasty stuff. I could always stain it myself. These COULD be neat little pipes if they would listen.


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## Diodon nepheligina (Nov 5, 2009)

Uelrindru said:


> I have a Meerschuam pipe, the sticker says it's corn cob but it looks a lot like stained wood to me, anyway the shank is definately the corn cob style shank with that piece of wood protruding into the bowl. I was trying Old Dublin for the first time, which I loved but at the end it was so acrid it hurt to smoke. After cleaning it out I realized the culprit, that wood shank was charring. It absolutely overpowered the aftertaste which is usually my favorite part of the experience.
> I've read that is supposed to happen but was wondering if there was a way you could do it without wasting good tobacco in there and ruining a smoking experience?


I've found it takes around 8-10 bowls to get that stem charred enough that it "merges" with the bowl and doesn't affect the taste of the end of your smoke. I don't know of any way around it.

Mark Twain was infamous for having other people do it for him. He'd give a pipe and some tobacco to a guy who was down on his luck and couldn't afford it himself and tell him to come back in a month. After a month, the guy had pretty well broken the pipe in and Twain would take it back and simply swap the bit for a new one and have a well seasoned pipe to smoke.

Ah, but those were different times back then...

I just smoke OTC stuff like Prince Albert, Half&Half, Carter Hall etc. in mine until I get them there.


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## Uelrindru (Mar 16, 2010)

Not a bad idea. I suppose I should try the Captian Black again I smoked my first bowl of it in that pipe when it was brand new. Could be why it tasted of garbage and terror.


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Diodon nepheligina said:


> I've found it takes around 8-10 bowls to get that stem charred enough that it "merges" with the bowl and doesn't affect the taste of the end of your smoke. I don't know of any way around it...............I just smoke OTC stuff like Prince Albert, Half&Half, Carter Hall etc. in mine until I get them there.


Good advice.

I forgot to mention that I really enjoy smoking this little sucker, it just takes some patience (& breath mints) to break it in.


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## Uelrindru (Mar 16, 2010)

Yeah after the first bowl everything I've smoked in it has been great till the end, but if that works I'll buy a few of them char em with whatever I have laying around and be good to go. Should i be letting a cake form or no?


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Uelrindru said:


> Yeah after the first bowl everything I've smoked in it has been great till the end, but if that works I'll buy a few of them char em with whatever I have laying around and be good to go. Should i be letting a cake form or no?


Well, for a corn cob it's not really needed, but since this is wood I'd say yes. It should help it smoke cool & dry.


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## Diodon nepheligina (Nov 5, 2009)

Uelrindru said:


> Could be why it tasted of garbage and terror.


:lol::lol::lol:


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## DSturg369 (Apr 6, 2008)

The Ozark will mellow after a few bowls are smoked in it, as does all the MM pipes. The first few bowls can be off-putting but it does get way better. Don't give up or you'll be missing out on a great smoking experience. As for cake, I don't care for it in my cobs. YMMV.


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## paracite (Jan 8, 2010)

Jimmyc said:


> Iv'e never smoked a corn cob before and just purchased a couple Missouri Meerschaum's and noticed at the bottom of the bowl where the shank enters it looks like there is a blob of glue holding it in place. I'm wondering if this stuff is going to melt or burn off when I smoke them. I have been reluctant to smoke these pipes because of this. Does anyone know if this is normal?:help:
> 
> Also, I tried to break some of the glue/plastic fo with my pipe tool and ended up poking a hole right thru the bottom. Are the bottoms of cob pipes always this soft?


I felt the same way too. It is normal, probably a quick and cheap way to assemble the stem and bowl together. When finish my smoke the glue does seem the get soft, I never taste any funny glues, otherwise many people would not swear by the MMs.

I often do find that I waste some tobacco that falls into those gaps that are at the bottom. Too bad they don't change the stem of these cobs... I guess it's to protect the bottom of the cob.


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## Brinson (Oct 28, 2007)

When I pack my cob, I pack the first layer really really light, and the rest still pretty light. By doing so the tobacco never goes below where the shank meets the bowl, and so none is left over. Its only a 30 minute smoke, but I don't mind.


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## Arctic Fire (Jan 17, 2010)

Oh you can try the air pocket method. Its like the frank method minus the first fill.


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## Jimmyc (Nov 5, 2009)

paracite said:


> I felt the same way too. It is normal, probably a quick and cheap way to assemble the stem and bowl together. When finish my smoke the glue does seem the get soft, I never taste any funny glues, otherwise many people would not swear by the MMs.
> 
> I often do find that I waste some tobacco that falls into those gaps that are at the bottom. Too bad they don't change the stem of these cobs... I guess it's to protect the bottom of the cob.


Does the bottom of the cob ever get black with cake built up like in a briar. That way the glue is covered and the bottom becomes stronger? Maybe I'm just making to big of a deal about this.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Yeah, mine did. I'd forgotten all about the ugly gaps around the stick through the hole aspect. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I take the reamer to my cobs fairly regularly. The inside of the bowl looks just the same as the inside of the bowls of my most used briars.


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## Jimmyc (Nov 5, 2009)

I used a pipe tool to try and remove some of the glue on my unsmoked cob and it went right tru the bottom like a knife through butter.

I guess I just need to smoke these cobs and stop fretting over the glue and like Paracite said, 

"When finish my smoke the glue does seem the get soft, I never taste any funny glues, otherwise many people would not swear by the MMs."


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